Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Four October Butterflies

On Friday at Fort Tilden, the sun was bright when I got there but a cold front moved in from the northwest as I stood atop the hawk watch platform. These were all seen while the sun was still bright.Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) predominated, still, floating along the coast towards the south.
A sulphur, probably Clouded (Colias philodice).This Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), a species that flocked through the region back in May, has had a big chunk of its underwing taken out.

An Eastern Comma was also noted, but it was unwilling to be photographed.

mthew

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5 responses to “Four October Butterflies”

  1. Rebecca

    Nice. I’m afraid we’re already past butterfly season here in the North Woods – last week we kept waking up to find half an inch or so of snow on the ground (although each time it melted by mid-day).

    Reply
    1. mthew

      Trees here are still mostly green. Crickets still chirping, a few dragonflies are about. The temperature dropped into the 40s overnight Friday night, after I’d taken these shots, but on Sunday, when the temps rose back into the high 60s, there were a couple species of butterflies to be seen in flight.

      Reply
  2. Elizabeth White

    I saw no butterflies Friday at Brooklyn Bridge Park, except for one cabbage white. Not even an ailanthus webworm moth, which I’ve been seeing every trip there.
    But I am currently hosting a small caterpillar, which showed up on my kitchen counter. I assume it came in either on the large bouquet I received recently, or with something from the farmers market.
    I know they’re supposed to be host-plant-dependent, but so far it has eaten parts of a leaf from a nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) and a Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum ‘Horapha’). So it appears either to be a generalist, or willing to try anything. I also put in a drop of water occasionally.
    At first I didn’t want to put it outside because I found it the day it was so cold. Right now, it seems to be doing ok.

    Reply
    1. mthew

      Wonder if it will spin into a cocoon? Some moths seem to handle cool temps pretty well.

      Reply
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